If you watch the news, you’ve probably heard about Cindy Sheehan’s vigil outside President George Walker Bush’s 1,600 acre ranch in Crawford, TX, where President Bush is taking a five-week vacation. When is the last time you got a five-week paid vacation? I had to work at my job for twelve years just to get three weeks off, and my bosses will only pay me for two of them. Mr. Bush has worked at his job for four and a half years, and has spent over 20 percent of his time on vacation in Texas. This does NOT count the time he’s spent on vacation at Camp David or Kennebunkport. If you add that in, he’s absent from his post more than a third of the time. In fact, President G. Walker Bush has now taken more vacation time than any other president in history, and he still has three and a half years in office. It’s public – look it up. (By the way, did you know that Mr. G.W. Bush just bought that ranch in 1999? The way he wanders around in front of the television cameras hauling brush and cutting firewood, you might get the impression that he’s been a rancher for longer than six years. It must be the official cowboy hat he wears.)

Anyway, Ms. Sheehan lost her son, Casey, in the Iraq war. She’s understandably upset about it, and wants to talk with President Bush and ask him a few questions. Mr. Bush doesn’t seem to have time, though, for that sort of thing.

Instead he went for a bike ride. According to President Bush, Americans want their president in shape and “in a position to make good, crisp decisions. And part of my being is to be outside exercising. So I’m mindful of what goes on around me. On the other hand, I’m also mindful that I’ve got a life to live and will do so.” Source (Side note – on his bike ride, Mr. Bush made it a point to tell his entourage that no one is allowed to pass him.)

Said Bush, when asked about Ms. Sheehan’s request to speak with him:

“But whether it be here or in Washington or anywhere else, there’s somebody who has got something to say to the president, that’s part of the job. And I think it’s important for me to be thoughtful and sensitive to those who have got something to say. But I think it’s also important for me to go on with my life…” Washington Post, August 15, 2005

That’s certainly sensitive. About as sensitive as the Texan who ran over Ms. Sheehan’s little white crosses the other day. But I suppose it’s important for the President to go on with his life and not dwell on the 1,800 American casualties. It’s important for him to enjoy his vacation. After all, he hasn’t had one since April…

Well, time to go to work. I’ll continue this later…